IA Newsletter

Message from President

Service Project

Spotlight

Introducing Mascot

Tech Time

Ambassador of the Month

APA

Mentor Motivation

Meet an Officer

CARE Program

Content

Hello Ambassadors!

In last few months we have seen many drastic changes. The program converted to an Online Chapter, an Officer Board was charged with running the Chapter, Ambassador meetings were held, service projects picked, and contests have be held. We are just getting started!! We are now launching the Newsletter which in itself is announcing more exciting news. We are disclosing our new mascot—a cute yet scholarly dragon that is for sure going to help us ignite the student population! We are also kicking off a new and wonderful way to honor our Ambassadors by naming someone who has upheld the core values, has gone above the call of duty, and who has impacted their mentees greatly as Ambassador of the Month. Each month the officer board will select one Ambassador to win this honor. We are continuously developing new ideas and ways in which to make you proud to be part of the Igniter Ambassador Online Chapter. This is just the beginning!

Cindy Sanders—Online Chapter President

Message from the President

"Cards to Ignite our Service Members” After tallying all the votes, the Igniter Ambassadors have chosen to collect cards and send them to de-ployed troops. There is no Hallmark store and no CVS, overseas where they can run in and buy their loved ones a Valentine’s Day, Birthday, Moth-er’s Day, Father’s Day or Thank you card so we will provide them with some. By participating in the service project you are touching the lives of troops and their families. In addition, the service projects we do can be put on your resumes under volunteerism. If you have a portfolio or just wish to document your service participation we will be taking pictures of all cards collected that you are free to use for personal use. The types of cards that are needed are Valentine’s Day, Birthday, Mother’s Day, Fa-ther’s Day, Thank you, and No-Message cards.

Our partner at USO says,

“This is great! Thank you so much. I know our troops are very appreciative of these

cards and I am sure the pens will be a bonus. These cards mean so much to our troops so far away from home because it allows them to have blank holiday cards that they can sign and send to family back home. On behalf of our troops, thank you

again!”

Service Project

By Desi Curry

Spotlight

Laura Jones was awarded a $25 Visa gift card, a keychain, thank you card, and a certificate naming her “Most Creative Ambassador” for her submission to a contest held in March. Laura assembled a Power Point presentation full of information to promote the program. Keep your eyes open because her project has been transformed into a video presentation that will be used by Chapter President, Cindy Sanders for promotion during the month of May & June. Congratulations Laura on your achievement!

Meet the new Mascot for the Igniter Ambassadors! He is an igniter that doesn’t let anyone stand in his way when he has a goal to meet but always lends a hand to help others!

Many students are purchasing laptops and computers with the newest Windows Operating System, which Microsoft has given a very generic name - Windows 8. Now this operating system has mixed reviews. Some love it, while others absolutely hate it. With any new operating system, the biggest questions are always how is it different, why do I want it, and will I have to relearn everything I know. In my opinion, Windows 8 is essentially the same OS as Windows 7, with one clear and not so user-friendly difference. Windows 8 is missing the start menu and button. Windows 8 does have the same features and functionality as Windows 7 and it is just a matter of figuring it out and finding the functions your looking for. I offer this advice to those that ask - give Windows 8 a try and once you get familiar with it, you will love it as you have every other Windows operating system of the past. A recommendation that I give to those that told me they want to test gravity with their new laptops with Windows 8, is to try a number of things that will restore the start menu which could be the start of a beautiful relationship. At the time, this article was written Microsoft has options to actually install or switch to a start menu in Windows 8. However, I have heard a rumor they will be adding it in through Windows update sometime in the future due to the number of complaints. Do not lose hope however because there are what we in the IT (information technology) world call “work arounds”. A “work around” is a technical way of making something work or fixing something in a fashion that bypasses the problem so it is no longer a problem. The work around for the start menu is to install an aftermarket software program that will add the functionality you want, in this case a start menu. According to PC World there are a number of different software programs to do just this (Zukerman, 2013). The functionality and price depends on your needs. There are, believe it or not, a number of free programs that

Tech Time

work great. PC World recommends (and so do I) a program that can be downloaded from: http://www.pcworld.com/product/1252464/classic-shell.html this program is easy to use and works great (Zukerman, 2013). If you truly want a start menu back, but have to use Windows 8, then this solution is the best thing going right now. Although, Microsoft states they will add the start menu back as an option. However, we don’t know how true that is much less when, so for now we will just have to use a “work around” So until next month enjoy your classes and if you need help don’t be afraid to ask! Zukerman, E. (2013, January 31). Review: Classic shell brings the start menu to windows 8 for free. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026719/review-classic-shell-brings-the-start-menu-to-windows-8-for-free.html

By Thomas Hughes

Everest Igniter Ambassador Ashley Roussel is like many students in that she is motivated to succeed in order to gain a stellar education that will allow her to provide a good life for her family while doing something that she is passionate about and brings her joy. Enrolling in college was not a decision that came naturally for Ashley, as she has struggled with low self-esteem for most of her life. However, hope for her children’s future motivated her to overcome this personal struggle and she made the call to Everest University

Online. She excelled beyond her imagination and is currently maintaining a 4.0 GPA, is a member of NSCS, and an Everest Igniter Ambassador. Ashley is currently mentoring two students in which she works with on daily basis for academic struggles, emotional struggles, and providing motivation. When asked about her experience with the program she excitedly states, “I am loving it and my experience has been exceptional. I have been working with both of my mentees every day. We are working on time management, study skills, and fixing scheduling issues with school. So far, my mentees have all A's & B’s. I am so proud of them! Sometimes they just need someone to believe in them.” When these students joined the program, they were defeated and ready to give up; however, with Ashley’s guidance, her mentees are succeeding, have a positive outlook on their college careers, and believe in themselves. Ashley says, “I am reminded daily of what a blessing it is to have someone around who supports and believes in you”. When asked to share their experience, Ashley’s mentee Patricia Gaylor

Ambassador of the Month

stated, “Ashley is always there for me, it doesn't matter whether it is morning or night. She has even taken time to talk to me while at the doctor’s office with her baby. She has taught there is nothing out there I can’t do. Without her help my grades would be much lower than they are now”. Her other mentee, Claudia Diaz stated, “Sometimes we need someone to simply be there... not to fix anything or do anything in particular, but just to let us feel we are supported and cared about. I wouldn’t have made it without Ashley’s help, she has patience and she explains things very well”. Ashley is a true example of how giving support and guidance to those in need enables true success. In recognition of a true 'Igniter Ambassador’, we would like to celebrate Ashley Roussel and her dedication to making a difference in people's lives by naming her May’s Ambassador of the Month.

By Bettye Lundeen

APA (American Psychological Association) is a style of writing that was developed to establish a standard writing style that would make communication of ideas easier and more consistent. APA is used to help cite information you obtained from a book, newspaper, online news article, website etc.

If you use a quote use APA to show where this quote was obtained. APA is essential in all aspects of school and in some career fields. A tutorial on APA can be found on the American Psychological Association web site. It is designed for those who have no previous knowledge of APA Style®. It shows users how to structure and format their work, recommends ways to reduce bias in language, identifies how to avoid charges of plagiarism, shows how to cite references in text, and provides selected reference examples. It can be found here:

http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx

APA is the standard writing style used by Everest University Online and will be used throughout your entire college career.

A few tips:

1. Ensure that you go to the Reference tab of MS Word and use the drop down box to select APA Sixth Edition. This will eliminate the need for you to adjust margins or indent your reference list.

2. When citing a source click the Insert Citation button on the Reference tab, choose the type of source you are citing and then fill in the information. This does three things - inserts the citation in the text, creates a reference, and stores the citation in to MS Word memory.

APA Style

When you have finished with your paper you can create a new page, center the word References, and insert your bibliography. The references will already be indented on the second line and in alphabetical order.

3. Highlight all text and double space then ensure Times Roman 12 pt. font is used. One last crafty tip that can be difficult is the running head. This should only appear on the first page (which is your cover page). To do this click inside the header and on the Design tab click the “Different First Page” box. Type Running Head: AND YOUR TITLE IN ALL CAPS. Make sure that you insert the header on the next page also.

“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.”

-Karen Ravn

By Nicole Hubbard

Jerri Lamb was born in Nevada and raised pretty much in Anchorage Alaska. She is married and has two grown children of her own and three grown step children. Jerri graduated summa cum laude from Everest University Online in 2009, earning an A.S. in Criminal Justice. In 2012, she graduated Summa Cum Laude earning her B.S. in Criminal Justice. She is a member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars as well as being an Officer for the Everest Igniter

Ambassadors. She became an Igniter Ambassador, in order to help others reach their goals as well as provide positive support to fellow students. She is currently attending Everest University Online to obtain her Master’s in Criminal Justice. Her interests include her horses and all the many other animals, along with spoiling her grandbabies.

1. How do you handle adversity? I handle adversity by believing in myself, taking life's little surprises in stride, I persevere, and turn adversity to my advantage. By believing in myself, I know that I can pretty much handle anything that comes my way. I have learned to develop a plan when faced with a new challenge, which is important for me in order to overcome adversity and be able to turn failure into a success. I focus my attention and effort on finding a workable solution, I remind myself that I am a wonderful, smart person who has overcome many other obstacles in my life and that whatever challenge I am faced with at the time should be no different. There's a saying that goes, "Life is twenty percent what you make it and eighty percent how you take it." Everyday reality is filled with disappointments, setbacks, barriers and frustrations and it important to look at those as a learning experience, not a tragedy. Dealing with adversity is not always easy; yet conquering the adversity will give a person self-confidence, inspire others, and make you ready for the next challenge in your life.

Meet an Officer

2. How do you stay motivated? When it comes to motivation, attitude is everything, and I have a sense of self-worth that contributes to my motivation. It helps me to determine the kinds of goals I set for myself, and how much effort I will put into reaching them. I remind myself of the reason I am going to school in the first place and what lies ahead for me once I am done. I know that at the end of the tunnel, there is light and each day I get closer to that light. 3. What is your favorite part about being an Ambassador? My favorite part of being an Ambassador is being able to help others whether it be academically or emotionally. I enjoy helping students and find it very rewarding to help them achieve their goals such as I have. When students are down and out and feel like they have no support system, I like cheering them on and letting them know that they are not alone, I will be behind pushing and supporting them as long as they need me to be there. When I took on the role as an Ambassador, I made a commitment to help others. 4. How do you balance your schoolwork and everyday life? In order to balance schoolwork and everyday life I make a plan each week. I set aside one day a week to run any errands I may have. I try to have all my schoolwork done by Friday so that I am not stressing trying to get my assignment in at the last minute. 5. What made you chose Online College instead of on campus? I choose Online College because I am not one to sit still for long periods of time. It allows me the ability to think independently, budget my time, and prioritize my education with existing commitments.

By Tammy Whiting

Care Program

What students are saying –

“Mike was the name of the care giver that called me, he was so very nice and helpful, I was able to start getting some work done, and then my ex-boyfriend told me if I didn't stop doing my school work then I would have to move out. So I found myself homeless, I called care again and asked for Mike to call me back. We talked for more than an hour, and when we were done I felt so much better, Mike

had given me so many different ideas of what to do and where to go. Within two weeks I found myself driving to Kentucky to live with my son. I am now very happy here in KY and doing all my school work once again” -K.W. “The CARE programs are truly an amazing group of people who truly care for each and everyone” – J.S. “This program is very helpful, accurate and very caring people. The program may help you with financial aid assistance, to help you with housing [find an apt in your budget, area.] I also find this a good place if you want someone to just have so they can listen. I recommend it for anyone” – C.D. “When my mom died in 2008 I called CARE. I was about to lose my mind. They were so kind and considerate to me I wouldn’t have made it without them that is for sure” – B.L.

Contributors

Bradley Govender

Cindy Sanders

Desi Curry

Thomas Hughes

Bettye Lundeen

Jerri Lamb

Nicole Hubbard

Tammy Whiting

https://sites.google.com/site/igniteambassadors/